At the Gate - Sunday
All the talk today is going to be on Rachel Alexandra taking on the boys in the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, but let?s not forget there is an outstanding card on tap at Saratoga, which includes three stakes.
However, first we have to talk about Rachel Alexandra taking on the boys again after a devastating 19 ? length win in the Mother Goose (G1) at Belmont Park in her last start. In her last three starts against the fillies, her combined win margin is nearly 50 lengths.
It looks like she is the controlling speed in the race unless trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez decide to send Munnings, who is stretching out from seven furlongs. The Monmouth Park main track plays right into how the filly runs and hard to think she will not get a perfect trip. She likely is going to be 3/5, making her trough to play for the win spot.
Munnings really looked good beating older in the Tom Fool (G2) last out going seven furlongs at Belmont Park. The runner up in the race was Riley Tucker, who came back to run a disappointing fifth in the Marvin on opening day at Saratoga at 4/5.
Two back he won the Woody Stephens (G2) for his first stakes win and had to wait for some running room on the turn. The third place finisher in that race was Kensei, who came back to win the Dwyer (G2) on July 4.
The question mark is whether he can get nine furlongs. The pedigree is leaning toward a mile being the optimal distance, but the surface on the Jersey Shore might be conducive to him being able to get that final furlong. He might get a play if his price drifts up a notch or two from the 3/1 morning line.
At the Spa today, the feature is the $300,000 Go for Wand Stakes (G1), which looks like a match up of the Godolphin entry of Seventh Street and Cocoa Beach against the Churchill Downs shipper Miss Isella.
The co-feature is the $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap (G2) a 1 1/16 mile test on the turf for three year olds and upward.
The race drew a Grade 1 caliber field that includes Kip Deville, Cosmonaut, and Cowboy Cal.
I?ll give you a hint on my top pick: The colt will be making his stakes debut.
Here is today's opener from Saratoga to get our day off to a good start:
SAR Race 1 Alw $53,000N1X (1:00 ET)
#2 Finish in Style 10/1
#3 Dynaslew 3/1
#5 Miss Catalyst 5/1
#9 Strike the Bell 5/2
Analysis: #2 Finish in Style dueled for the early lead and could not match strides late with the winner in a good runner up finish in her first go against winners. The effort came at Churchill Downs over ground labeled as good. The race has been productive, three exits the race to win next out. The filly was a smart winner two back in her third career start and appears to be heading in the right direction. Ramon takes the call for Michelle Nihei, a former top assistant for the Pletcher barn. She showed last out she can handle ground with some give to it and we should see a less than firm turf today. Decent value if we catch most of the 10/1 ML.
#3 Dynaslew was the beaten fav last out over yielding footing at Belmont Park. The filly raced wide much of the trip which was he first go against winners. She was only beaten four lengths and now drops out of stakes company into the Alw-1 ranks. Blinkers are added and this gal has a nice pedigree, by Dynaformer out of the multiple dirt stakes winner Slews Final Answer ($359K). She looks like a good fit here for the Mott barn that picked up a couple of wins from his first six starters at the meeting.
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 2,3 / 2,3,5,9
TRI: 2,3 / 2,3,5,9 / 2,3,5,8,9,10
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:
SAR Race 9 Go for Wand Hcp G1 (5:30 et)
#4 Miss Isella 9/5
#1 Seventh Street / #1a Cocoa Beach 4/5
#5 Spritely 8/1
#2 Color Me Up 20/1
Analysis: #4 Miss Isella is another shipper in from Churchill Downs for Wilkes and this gal is a half sis to our top pick Guam Typhoon in the eighth race. The filly is coming off back to back game wins in Grade 2 company, earning her top two speed figs of her career. She has a pair of wins against Grade 2 company at nine furlongs and now gets her first try at earning a Grade 1 here at the Spa. The filly owns a solid pace profile throughout and she should see a brisk early in pace in front of her here.
#1 Seventh Street is coming off a runner up finish in the Ogden Phipps (G1) last out. She pressed the early pace, was caught in the duel all the way around the turn and weakened in the stretch late after getting clear mid stretch. Two back she won the Apple Blossom (G1) but was able to set more comfortable early fractions, and had plenty left in the tank late.
Her entry mate #1a Cocoa Beach came off a seven month layoff last out in the Floral Park, only had to face three foes and just came up empty in the stretch. Was it the slop or the layoff that did her in? She was a good second to Zenyatta last fall in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic and I have to think she rebound here with a better effort, but can't get too excited about backing the entry at such a short price.
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 8/5 or better.
EX: 1,4 / 1,4,5
TRI: no play
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Saratoga
R1: #2 Finish in Style 10/1
R3: #5 Playful Majesty 15/1
R5: #9 Dynazapper 8/1
R5: #12 Rose Catherine 10/1
R6: #1 Goodandacceptable 12/1
R9: #5 Spritely 8/1
R9: #2 Color Me Up 20/1
R10: #9 Tuscana 12/1
Good luck today!
All the talk today is going to be on Rachel Alexandra taking on the boys in the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, but let?s not forget there is an outstanding card on tap at Saratoga, which includes three stakes.
However, first we have to talk about Rachel Alexandra taking on the boys again after a devastating 19 ? length win in the Mother Goose (G1) at Belmont Park in her last start. In her last three starts against the fillies, her combined win margin is nearly 50 lengths.
It looks like she is the controlling speed in the race unless trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez decide to send Munnings, who is stretching out from seven furlongs. The Monmouth Park main track plays right into how the filly runs and hard to think she will not get a perfect trip. She likely is going to be 3/5, making her trough to play for the win spot.
Munnings really looked good beating older in the Tom Fool (G2) last out going seven furlongs at Belmont Park. The runner up in the race was Riley Tucker, who came back to run a disappointing fifth in the Marvin on opening day at Saratoga at 4/5.
Two back he won the Woody Stephens (G2) for his first stakes win and had to wait for some running room on the turn. The third place finisher in that race was Kensei, who came back to win the Dwyer (G2) on July 4.
The question mark is whether he can get nine furlongs. The pedigree is leaning toward a mile being the optimal distance, but the surface on the Jersey Shore might be conducive to him being able to get that final furlong. He might get a play if his price drifts up a notch or two from the 3/1 morning line.
At the Spa today, the feature is the $300,000 Go for Wand Stakes (G1), which looks like a match up of the Godolphin entry of Seventh Street and Cocoa Beach against the Churchill Downs shipper Miss Isella.
The co-feature is the $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap (G2) a 1 1/16 mile test on the turf for three year olds and upward.
The race drew a Grade 1 caliber field that includes Kip Deville, Cosmonaut, and Cowboy Cal.
I?ll give you a hint on my top pick: The colt will be making his stakes debut.
Here is today's opener from Saratoga to get our day off to a good start:
SAR Race 1 Alw $53,000N1X (1:00 ET)
#2 Finish in Style 10/1
#3 Dynaslew 3/1
#5 Miss Catalyst 5/1
#9 Strike the Bell 5/2
Analysis: #2 Finish in Style dueled for the early lead and could not match strides late with the winner in a good runner up finish in her first go against winners. The effort came at Churchill Downs over ground labeled as good. The race has been productive, three exits the race to win next out. The filly was a smart winner two back in her third career start and appears to be heading in the right direction. Ramon takes the call for Michelle Nihei, a former top assistant for the Pletcher barn. She showed last out she can handle ground with some give to it and we should see a less than firm turf today. Decent value if we catch most of the 10/1 ML.
#3 Dynaslew was the beaten fav last out over yielding footing at Belmont Park. The filly raced wide much of the trip which was he first go against winners. She was only beaten four lengths and now drops out of stakes company into the Alw-1 ranks. Blinkers are added and this gal has a nice pedigree, by Dynaformer out of the multiple dirt stakes winner Slews Final Answer ($359K). She looks like a good fit here for the Mott barn that picked up a couple of wins from his first six starters at the meeting.
Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 2,3 / 2,3,5,9
TRI: 2,3 / 2,3,5,9 / 2,3,5,8,9,10
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:
SAR Race 9 Go for Wand Hcp G1 (5:30 et)
#4 Miss Isella 9/5
#1 Seventh Street / #1a Cocoa Beach 4/5
#5 Spritely 8/1
#2 Color Me Up 20/1
Analysis: #4 Miss Isella is another shipper in from Churchill Downs for Wilkes and this gal is a half sis to our top pick Guam Typhoon in the eighth race. The filly is coming off back to back game wins in Grade 2 company, earning her top two speed figs of her career. She has a pair of wins against Grade 2 company at nine furlongs and now gets her first try at earning a Grade 1 here at the Spa. The filly owns a solid pace profile throughout and she should see a brisk early in pace in front of her here.
#1 Seventh Street is coming off a runner up finish in the Ogden Phipps (G1) last out. She pressed the early pace, was caught in the duel all the way around the turn and weakened in the stretch late after getting clear mid stretch. Two back she won the Apple Blossom (G1) but was able to set more comfortable early fractions, and had plenty left in the tank late.
Her entry mate #1a Cocoa Beach came off a seven month layoff last out in the Floral Park, only had to face three foes and just came up empty in the stretch. Was it the slop or the layoff that did her in? She was a good second to Zenyatta last fall in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic and I have to think she rebound here with a better effort, but can't get too excited about backing the entry at such a short price.
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 8/5 or better.
EX: 1,4 / 1,4,5
TRI: no play
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Saratoga
R1: #2 Finish in Style 10/1
R3: #5 Playful Majesty 15/1
R5: #9 Dynazapper 8/1
R5: #12 Rose Catherine 10/1
R6: #1 Goodandacceptable 12/1
R9: #5 Spritely 8/1
R9: #2 Color Me Up 20/1
R10: #9 Tuscana 12/1
Good luck today!
